Commonwealth Games 2018: Australia’s Diamonds shine as Silver Ferns struggle to dominate

NETBALL has been the ultimate two-horse race at the Commonwealth Games but Australia and New Zealand’s gold medal dominance is looking more than a little shaky.

THERE are some certainties at every Commonwealth Games.

“Advance Australia Fair” is on higher rotation than Daryl Braithwaite’s “Horses”.

Some whinger will utter the phrase, “it’s no Olympics’’.

And Australia play New Zealand in the netball final.

With apologies to singer Meat Loaf, on the Gold Coast it may be a case of, “don’t feel sad, two out of three ain’t bad’’.

The Diamonds have taken on the Silver Ferns in all five gold medal matches at the Commonwealth Games since netball made its debut in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

Liz Watson and the Diamonds are on a roll. Picture: Getty Images

Australia got the chocolates in 1998, 2002 and 2014 while the Kiwis saluted in 2006 and 2010.

It has been the ultimate two-horse race with cricket scores piling up in the pool games before the trans-Tasman rivals get down to business.

But that could all change on the Goldy — where things can often unravel if you are not careful.

The Diamonds have been a dominant force so far, smashing Northern Ireland 94-26 then bashing Barbados to the tune of 79-24.

The reigning world champions are in ominous form. They boast one the strongest squads seen in fluoro yellow-and-green in some time and are fierce, focused and flying along.

But the same cannot be said of the Silver Ferns.

Australia celebrate their triumph in Glasgow. Picture: Adam Head

Firstly, they lost two practice matches to Jamaica before the Commonwealth Games started.

Their first pool game victory over Uganda (64-51) was anything but impressive and the 70-44 win over Wales on Friday included a horror second quarter when the Welsh outscored New Zealand by 13-9.

Yes, they have won two from two (and play Malawi on Sunday) but the way they have played does not inspire confidence if your version of “six” sounds like “sux”.

The team is undergoing generational change and is desperately missing stalwart and superstar Laura Langman

New Zealand media types are privately nervous while TV commentators on the host broadcast this week openly questioned if the Silver Ferns can make the final.

The not-so-quiet whisper around netball circles for a while has been that the Gold Coast will see Australia play somebody other the Kiwis in the big dance.

It’s been a bumpy start for Shannon Francois and New Zealand. Picture: Getty Images

England looms as the most likely threat to the Diamonds with a host of players that call Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball competition home.

They aren’t scared of the Aussies because they play with and against them week-in, week-out. A bit like New Zealand before the ANZ Championship made way for the all-Aussie club Super Netball.

The English put away Scotland then smashed Malawi.

Make no mistake, the Poms are coming. They have too much talent and experience to not be there when the whips are cracking.

And Jamaica’s “Sunshine Girls” are to be respected too. Apart from beating the Silver Ferns pre-Games, they showed some serious mettle to beat South Africa on Friday night.

They are seriously athletic, seriously skilful and a serious threat. And they have a cool nickname so more power to them.

Chelsea Pitman and England are firmly in the conversation. Picture: Getty Images

The Silver Ferns did win the 2017 Quad Series that also included Australia, England and South Africa on countback so you can never discount those crafty Kiwis.

Never.

Never ever.

But the Diamonds have improved significantly since then along with the Poms and South Africans.

The team from the Land of the Long White Cloud could face a long trip home with long faces and a bronze medal to show — at best.

The bookies certainly think so.

And, as they say in the classics, follow the money.

Sports bookmakers Ladbrokes have Australia as $1.30 favourites to win gold with England second favourites at $4.50. New Zealand are on the next line of betting at $6 with Jamaica at $13.

On what we have seen so far on the Gold Coast, you just couldn’t back New Zealand to be part of the quinella.

Originally published as Commonwealth Games 2018: Australia’s Diamonds shine as Silver Ferns struggle to dominate